Marriage, Divorce, and Birth and Stillbirth by Legitimacy in Japan for the Period between 1920 and 1940

Abstract

The purpose of this study is a re-evaluation of population dynamics, especially of marriage, divorce, and stillbirth by legitimacy, in Japan before the World War II. Formerly we reported results of similar analysis for the period between 1872 and 1898 and for the period 1899 and 1919. In this study, we have investigated the successive period from 1920 to 1940. Marriage rates over this period were estimated to be around 60 to 80 per 1, 000 unmarried women over age 15 and showed a decrease until the mid-1930's . Divorce rates were estimated to be around three to five per 1, 000 married women and showed a clear decrease since 1920. Illegitimate birth rates also showed a clear decrease from 27 to eight per 1, 000 unmarried women over age 15 in the study period. Ratios of illegitimate births to all births also showed a clear decrease. It was considered that these trends of marriage, divorce and birth by legitimacy were affected by the new appeared custom of registration of marriage which was the retardation of registration of marriage until the first baby was born. Illegitimate stillbirth rates were much higher than those of the legitimate in the study period. Illegitimate stillbirth rates showed a decline until 1927 and then turned to a increase. Legitimate stillbirth rates showed a decline in all study period but annual rates of decreasing were going to smaller since 1928. It was suspected that these trends of stillbirth were made by the phenomenon that some deaths of infant were registered as stillbirth.